Friday, Dec. 23rd - (from earlier in day when the most species of gull may have been observed, but with some lingering on into afternoon also.)
Randall’s Island, in New York County (which is within New York City) - Randall's is “not Manhattan” (island) but very nearby, in the same county as Manhattan… and is linked by both vehicular and foot bridges directly with Manhattan island. (The footbridge is free. The vehicular is also free, if one walks across. The foot-bridge is generally the easier walk.) NYC buses also link Randall’s Island with Manhattan and elsewhere, the (“Triboro to many of us old-folks, or “R.F.K.” bridge as re-named for a much-loved fallen American) larger bridge gets into Manhattan, The Bronx, and Queens Counties all within N.Y. City. (the waters of Randall’s Island also can include visibility into each of same 3 counties of N.Y. City.) Manhattan and Randall’s Island are separated at least in part by the Harlem “River” which is itself really an estuary-extension of the East River, which also is an estuary by most definitions. These also connect into western Long Island Sound, and the East River thru to N.Y. Harbor and by extension thereby, to the Atlantic ocean, via the Hudson and the outer harbor of New York City. There is plenty of water and multiple waterways around all of New York City and also around the county we call New York. The SHORT-BILLED (or “Mew-type”) GULL is a likely *first N.Y. County record*, if accepted as such by the avian records committee of NY State, and of course a regional and state very rare species as well. Please be VERY careful in every way should you decide to try seeking these gulls on Saturday, 12/24 as the local weather is likely to be dangerous, beyond bitter cold - in multiple respects. Adding to the already-amazing Short-billed Gull (sometimes called 'Mew Gull' in certain regions and according to form, and what taxonomics* one follows), found by Andrew Farnsworth and observed later by many many others, were at least 2 adult-winter Black-headed Gulls and Lesser Black-backed Gull, and at-least 5 Bonaprate’s Gulls (which are still a rare species in this county, despite recent sightings in a few areas this autumn, etc.) along with the far-more than 1,000 total gulls (mainly, 80% or so, apparent Ring-billed Gulls, but with [American] Herring Gulls and also at least a few Great Black-backed Gulls, as well as (from Andrew F.) also a Laughing Gull on the start of all of this gull-apalooza being observed; the Laugher perhaps moving on or simply being obscured in the frenzy and fun of the rest of the gull and gullers who’d been flying in to see the spectacle. If you happen to be counting, this is 8 (yes eight) Gull-species *at one time and location* for this one little county of N.Y. City. (and that too is perhaps a record here…) * The American Ornithological Society in 2021, have split the two populations - once lumped as “Common Gull” in Nearctic and Palearctic regions - as distinct species. The forms are 'Mew Gull' (mostly) in the Palearctic and 'Short-billed Gull' in the Nearctic. BUT, there may be either / both in some situations which wander far - as many gulls will do. A bit more may be learned in (amongst other good sources) the K.M. Olsen books, esp. the most recent iterations, "Gulls of the World: a Photographic Guide” the latter occasionally seen in some libraries and available to browse in some phsyical book shops as well. Shout-out to J. Drucker as well for helping to re-find the rarest of the gulls on the day - and thanks always to D. Gochfeld. The weather may have become rather frightful but those birds are just too delightful. And you all know the rest of *that old lyric*... A Ruddy Turnstone at Randall’s Island also a notable bird for N.Y. County, even when so regular at other nearby county’s shore-side appropriate places in this season, another good bird on 12/23. - - - - “Owl be back" said the gulls-of-Randall’s… Thanks to all who were updating the birds and of course to Manhattan’s own A. Farnsworth for the incredible local findings. Enjoy the birds safely in such rapid weather-changes, and again Happy and Healthy season to all with good birds all around. Tom Fiore manhattan -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
